A Third Turn
by Kuroneko99
Summary: Ceil gets turned into a demon, Sebastian doesn't get his soul and spends the rest of eternity by his master's side. Pretend Sebastian actually got to eat Ceil's soul and moved on to a new master several hundred years down the road in present day New York
1. Chapter 1: Save Me

Alright, as we all know, season two of Kuroshitsuji ended with Ciel being turned into a demon thanks to Alois and Sebastian wasn't able to eat his soul, thus Sebastian had to stay by Ceil's side for ever and ever. Well I didn't like that ending. So I decided to take matter's into my own hands, pretend that Ceil had his soul eaten like it should have happened and let Sebastian move on. This is how I thought a third season of Kuroshitsuji should go. Yeah, I probably should have done this story after finishing my other stories that need to be finished, but I just couldn't wait. I would have described the story more in the summary, but it only allows you so much space so that you don't spill the whole story. This is a story with an OC main character. Reviews about whether it's good or bad would be much appreciated. (I don't own Kuroshitsuji)

So as always, read, review, and enjoy.

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><p><strong>Save Me<strong>_  
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_Someone, help me!_

The cold floor cut through the grungy, flimsy once white dress that hung over the girl's gaunt shoulders. Pale, almost alabaster skin, covered by dirt and blood was pulled over her bones; her last meal had been hardly enough to fill her stomach. Her greasy black hair hung in her eyes, dull and lifeless. Around her, bloody hand prints smeared across the dirty walls from where she had tried to claw her way out. Strips of her torn dress were wrapped around her hands in an attempt to dress the wounds. But what did it matter? It wouldn't help the pain go away or make her situation any better.

How long had it been since she had a decent meal? How long had it been since she had a warm shower? How long had it been since she had seen sunlight? How long had it been since she had contact with a human that wouldn't beat her? How long had she been locked in the room? All sense of time had been lost inside the room where even sunlight couldn't reach.

She sat on the dingy mattress that reek of rat pee and pungent sweat that served at her bed. In terms of cleanliness, it was the cleanest thing in the small, windowless prison-like room. The thick concrete walls blocked out all sense of the outside world, leaving her unaware of where she was. She had sat in the dark, shivering as she clutched at the threadbare blanket that looked it had been pulled from a dumpster in the back alleys for warmth. Still the cold ripped through, stealing her body of all its warmth.

It was another thing that was being taken from her; another thing that was stealing from her. Her freedom, her life, her dignity, her sanity: All were being yanked from her, leaving her naked and bare.

A rat scurried across her feet, making her recoil with a raspy scream, falling off the mattress onto the damp floor. Slimy ooze that she couldn't make out in the dark seeped through the already soiled clothes, making her shiver even more. The rat disappeared into the darkness through a hole in the wall that was its escape route from the room. If only she was a rat, able to squeeze into any crack and crevice. Then she could escape and run away.

If only it were that simple. Even if she could escape, where could she go? She didn't even know where she was. Was she still in New York? Still in America? The man who had her locked up spoke English and looked American, but she couldn't figure out his accent; she had stopped trying.

That man…She flinched at the memory of him. That man was the one who imprisoned her and was the only one keeping her on the verge of life. He was also the one who was slowly making her become less human, slowly, bit, by bit. His unloving hands would touch her skin, his eyes tracing greedily, his mouth sneering as he viewed her as nothing more than an object.

Whenever the man appeared, he'd take her from the room to another room without windows. The room was sparkly furnished, with only a bed and a few other pieces of furniture and a bathroom. That room terrified her as much as the concrete one; it was the room where she had less freedom. In the room, she was treated like an animal, stripped down to be prodded and toyed around with as the man pleased.

The thick smell of cigarettes and alcohol made her lungs seize with terror as a swirl of memories burned against the back of her brain. The brutality that she suffered made her body begin to tremble. She tried to scream whenever she was brought to the room, but she was silence with the slap of his hand across her skin, leaving it burning red. Her fingers traced the welts left by the whip the man carried that he used to cut her skin, his eyes always glowing with maddened glee. When she struggled too much, he'd grab a needle and drive it through her skin, filling her veins with drugs that made the room spin. In her incoherent state, she was helpless to do anything against him.

She was helpless anyway; nothing more than a powerless child.

The sudden rush of the terrifying memories made her jolt straight up. The dark room spun around her, making her throat burn as the contents of her stomach tried to come back up with the vertigo. Unable to hold herself up, she collapsed again on the ground, too weak to pick herself up. All her strength began to fade away, leaving her body too heavy to move, as if her veins were full of lead.

How pitiful she was; lying on the dirty floor like a discarded piece of trash. How did any of this happen to her? It seemed like only yesterday that she was eating dinner with her family in their mansion, talking about her father's business and the latest gossip topics her mother had heard. Those times seemed so far away; were they even real anymore?

_Someone…help me! I don't want to die here! Please! Someone! Save me from this place! _She screamed inside her head, her fingers digging into the unmoving ground, drawing blood. She didn't care. The pain reminded her that even though she was living, it wouldn't change anything. She had never wanted to die, it terrified her, but to go on living the way she was scared her even more.

Her cracked lips parted as she grasped for breath, sucking in the musty air. It had been so long since she had used her voice for something other than screaming. She had stopped talking because it took to much effort and strength that she didn't have. Her trembling lips silently formed words as she struggled to recall how to form words. Her dry tongue hit the roof of her mouth as she summoned the strength she had, gathering as much air as she could.

"Someone save me!" she screamed with every fiber of her body, desperately hoping that the sound would penetrate the walls and reach the ears of someone to come and rescue her from the hellish place. She flinched at the sound of her own voice, so loud and foreign to her even though it was her own.

She lay on the floor, waiting as the room faded into silence. She gasped for air, her throat sore from that one scream. It had been foolish to believe that one scream would change anything. She had stopped screaming long ago, knowing that it was useless.

Now tears fell from her hollow ice blue eyes, matting her hair to her face. Crying was all she could do now, even though the tears were wasted effort. What was the point anymore? She would die in the room devoid of sunlight, used up until there was nothing left.

_I don't…want to die here….I want to live! I want to get out of here…Why is this happening to me? _she thought as she was suffocated by the dark thick air, drowning in her misery. The darkness grew darker and thicker as her eyes began to close, heavy with weakness until she succumbed to it.

"Do you wish for me to save you?" a velvety voice asked, cutting through the heavy darkness.

Her eyes flew open, temporarily blinded by the expanse of pure white feathers that surrounded her. Slowly she opened her eyes looking around, dazed. Slowly she lifted her eyes and found herself staring at a jet black raven perched on a gnarled black stick. White feathers fell from the black expanse, resembling snow as they drifted down.

"I'll ask again: Do you wish for me to save you?" the voice came again, echoing around her. "Do you want to form a contract with me so that any wish of yours may be granted?"

"Y-Yes…" she rasped, picking herself up so that she was at least sitting to face that bird. "Who…Who are you?"

"Who am I? I am a demon, a being of Hell," the voice answered.

"A demon?" she repeated.

"I'll tell you this, if you wish to form a contract with me and reject the faith, you can never pass through the gates of heaven," the demon told the girl.

"I can never pass through the gates of Heaven?"

"You will be plunged into Hell, never being able to experience the joys of Heaven. Your soul will belong to me; that is the price for forming a contract with me," the voice went on. The girl thought about his words, growing fearful about the thought of being in Hell, but it didn't matter to her at that moment.

"My soul in exchange…for forming a contract with you?" she gasped, struggling to breath. "I can form a contract with you…

"Yes, that is the price for having me by your side. Until the contract is fulfilled, I will remain by your side, protecting you until the time comes when I will devour your soul. I'll ask you again; Do you with to form a contract with me?"

"Yes! I do!" she cried, all fear abandoned.

"Even if you will never be able to cross the gates of Heaven? Even if you will spend an eternity in Hell?" the demon asked.

"Yes! This is Hell enough! Please, form a contract with me and grant my wish!" she cried again, reaching out to the bird with a scrawny hand.

"Very well. A contract will be formed," the demon replied, a smile in his voice. Suddenly the feathers around her changed color as blackness seeped into them as they were kicked up, soaring upwards as if a wind had disturbed them. The girl's view was blocked as the black feathers swallowed all the light.

Searching through the blackness, she spotted the figure of a man through the black. Her eyes squinted to try and get a better look at the figure, but soon unconsciousness seized her. the last thing she saw was a smile on the figure's face.

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><p>Anyone have any thoughts yet? I'm sure you must after reading this short into to the story. I'll update as soon as I can to get the plot ball rolling<p> 


	2. Chapter 2: Her Butler Reassigned

Well, after getting such good reviews about the first chapter of this story, I quickened my pace to write the next chapter to get the story rolling. I hope I can make this story good. As always, please read, review and enjoy.**  
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><p><strong>Her Butler, Reassigned<strong>

"My lady, it's time to get up," came a voice through the muddled dream. The voice was comforting, drawing her towards it until blinding sunlight hit Arianna's face, jolting her awake. The room shifted as she sat up straight, startled by the sudden burst of light. Her lips parted for breath, cold sweat beading against her skin.

"Did you have to throw the blinds open in such a manner?" she grumbled, rubbing her eyes and turning her squinted eyes to the man responsible for waking her.

Outlined by the bright morning sunlight stood a tall man, his body silhouetted against the light blazing in as the curtains covering the high windows were thrown back. Arianna's eyes widened as they landed on him, growing wide with a hint of fear as he turned to face her. Spread across his face was the smile that she remembered so clearly from that day. It sent shivers up her spine to see a demon smile.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his smile disappearing as he faced her, the coattails of his suit moving behind him as he moved. The man was dressed in a black swallowtail suite with coattails that hung in the back. His black tie was straight and neat, perfect, just like everything with his appearance. From the day Arianna had met him, he had been dressed like a butler from the eighteenth century, right down to the cufflinks around his wrists.

"Nothing's wrong, Sebastian. I'm just surprised that you'd wake me up when it's only ten o'clock on a Saturday," Arianna replied, erasing all traces of her shock with a yawn.

"Forgive me, my lady," Sebastian apologized with a bow, his black hair falling across his face. "You looked like you were having a nightmare." Arianna stiffened and looked down at her trembling hands.

"It was nothing…Just a dream about that time…" she muttered, wiping her sweaty palms against her thighs. Deep down she was grateful for Sebastian's intervention; Arianna thought that she have drowned with the fear if the nightmare had continued.

"You're still having those nightmares?" Sebastian asked as he walked around the bed towards her.

"Every once in a while. It's getting better though; I've only been having a few lately. It's about once a week now," Arianna assured him as he pulled back the fluffy covers, smoothing out the black and white floral print under his white-gloved hands.

Even though it had been six months since her kidnapping, there were still nights where

she woke up screaming, clawing at the sheets as her eyes darted fearfully around in the dark like a frightened animals', but it wasn't as bad as the sleepless nights she spent pacing around, too afraid to fall asleep for fear of having the memories appear. Those nights where Arianna woke in cold sweat, gasping for air with her throat raw from screaming, Sebastian was by her side like a faithful shadow, soothing her until she had calmed down enough. For that, she had been grateful for.

"Should I prepare you some tea to help sooth you, Lady Arianna?" he asked, his face calm as he tried to get her mind off the unpleasant thoughts of the past.

"You're doing it again," she huffed as she slid out from under the covers, shivering against the cold air from the vents in the ceiling as it circulated around the room.

"Doing what?" Sebastian inquired, as his eyebrow rose curiously. Arianna met his red eyes with her icy blue ones, staring at him blankly.

"You're trying to baby me and do everything for me. You know how much I hate that," Arianna told him as she brushed her hair back off her face. "Also, you're way of speaking seems way too proper for a butler in New York. To be honest, you look like you're dressed from the eighteen hundreds or something. I know that you've lived along time, but doesn't staying dressed like that feel stuffy to you?" she asked, running her fingers over the covers, still feeling the faint warmth from where her body had been pressed against them.

"Sorry, old habits die hard I suppose," Sebastian said with a slight shrug. "These clothes were given to me by my last master." He placed his hand over his chest as if he was speaking about something precious.

"Your last master, huh?" Arianna repeated, shivering inward at the way he said "my last master." Someday she knew that she would end up as his last master and the thought didn't sit well with her. "I guess that person must have been pretty important to you."

"I guess you could say that. His soul was a very rare kind; something that doesn't come around very often." She could see his red eyes turn slightly lustful as he spoke. "I hadn't eaten such a meal such as that in a very long time."

"So souls vary in…flavor?" Arianna searched for the right word to put at the end of the sentence to make it sound less creepy, but it didn't help. She was dealing with a demon; nothing she used to make the situation happier would make any difference.

"Yes, but I won't go into great detail right now. I'll save that lecture for another time," Sebastian said as he headed over to the kitchen to retrieve a teapot. "Now, moving on to today's schedule-"

Arianna moaned loudly and flopped back down in the bed, feeling the downy mattress shift under her weight. "No! Don't mention my schedule!" she sighed rolling over on her side. "It's Saturday for crying out loud! I wanna sleep 'til noon, eat what I want, lie around and be lazy; things teenagers do!"

"Children these days are quite lazy. It seems a lot has changed in two hundred years or so…" Sebastian mused as he poured the steaming water into the blue and white embroidered teapot, watching the steam rise up as it flowed through the tea leaves sitting in the tea strainer. "But I guess children will be children."

"Don't talk about me when I can still hear you," Arianna muttered. "You may be in another room, but it's still open to the rest of this apartment room." She waved her hand through the air, referring to the massive apartment room that she was living in. It was the penthouse floor of one of her family's most prestigious apartment complexes.

As impressive as it may have seemed to people, it was just a small drop in the bucket for her family. Out of all the hotels and apartment buildings that the Millié family owned, it wasn't anything that special. It was just another accessory that the filthy rich Millié flaunted, along with their island resorts, private jets, and whatever the rich love to buy with their endless amounts of cash.

"My apologize, Miss," Sebastian said as he returned with the teapot in one hand and a delicate teacup balanced on a saucer in the other. "I've prepared a black raspberry tea with a delicate sweet flavor to it." Arianna gazed at the butler as he elegantly poured the amber liquid into the teacup and waited for her to sit up to accept it. It was scary how perfect Sebastian was at everything.

It wasn't human, but then again, he was a demon; nothing human about him.

"You certainly know your teas," the girl commented as she lazily pulled herself to a sitting position. Her hair made a crackling sound as the static on the covers caused her hair to stick out.

"A butler of the Millié family should know a wide variety of teas," Sebastian explained promptly, a faint smile on his pale face.

"Sebastian Michaelis, you are not a butler of the Millié family. You are _my _butler, my

bodyguard." She looked up at him over the rim of the steaming cup, watching his face carefully with narrowed eyes. "Your contract is with me, not my family. You follow my orders, not theirs. Or have you forgotten?"

"I shall never forget, my lady," Sebastian assured her with a deep bow. 'Our contract binds us together for all eternity. I shall protect your body until the time comes when the contract is over." He kept his head low as he spoke.

"No matter how many times you do that it's still creepy." After taking a long sip she set the cup down and continued watching Sebastian with calculating eyes. No matter how human he seemed, no matter how much he tried to serve her, Arianna remembered that he was a demon with eyes only for her soul.

"It is a butler's job to serve his master. If you keep telling me to change I won't have anything left to do," Sebastian said straightening himself as he reached out to fix her tank top strap that had slipped off her shoulder, revealing the bluish pentagram mark over her right breast. It was the mark of their contract; the mark that forever tied her to the demon. A chilling reminder that she could never escape him.

Arianna saw his hand and her eyes widened with terror as the image changed to the past. All she could see was that man's hand reaching for her, ready to strike and defile her. Her throat tightened, cutting off her air as her blood roared in her ears. Before she could control herself, her body began to react on its own.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked, slapping his hand away and shied away in fear. The sound of her hand hitting his skin sounded like a whip cracking through the air, sparking another wave of terror inside her.

Sebastian stared at her in surprise for a moment before stooping down onto a knee in a bow, he head lowered. "Forgive me, my lady. I foolishly forgot that you still don't like to be touched," he apologized, unable to raise his head.

Arianna looked down at her as she slowly regained her senses. "No…It's…It's my fault for being this way…" she whispered in a trembling voice, holding her quivering body as she struggled to regain her composure.

Even though it had been six months, the fear of being touched still remained. She had gained all the weight she had lost back, recovered the ability to talk after she had been shocked into being unable to speak, and was able to walk again, but inwardly she was damaged without any hopes of returning to normal. No matter how many therapy sessions she went to, the thought of being touched terrified her. All she could think about was that man's touch, all the things he had done to her. It made her feel nauseated and dirty, less than human.

"I'm sorry…" Arianna's voice was barely audible.

"It's not your fault. You do not have to apologize," Sebastian told her as he raised his head, giving her a sincere look. It was neither a pitying nor judging; just an honest look.

Arianna let her arms fall limply to her sides and hung her head, unable to meet his gaze. Without a word, she stood up and walked over to the window, staring out at the teaming city of New York below. The sunlight glistened off the windows of the skyscrapers that fought to dominate the sky. Below, people and cars rushed about, going on with their daily lives, unaware that one girl was watching them from her room.

"You know, from up here, it's easy to see that this world is so small and fragile. Yet, it still manages to break people and force them to the edge of insanity. Why do you think that is?" she asked, putting her hands against the warm glass.

"Humans are pitiful creatures. They fight amongst themselves for the most foolish of reasons and will be willing to kill each other out of greed. They are a corrupt race of beings that try to justify their actions through self-righteous means. When faced with desperation, they'll use anything they can to pull themselves out of the darkness," Sebastian replied without a shred of emotion.

"Sounds familiar," Arianna chuckled humorlessly. "You must find up truly disgusting. I don't blame you. Sometimes humans can be the ugliest things. I think we're more frightening than any demon."

"More frightening than a demon? What a funny thing to say," he said with a smile.

"Isn't it? I guess I'm not better than the rest of them. I summoned you and formed a contract with you to get back at the people who pushed me into this situation. And I'm willing to do anything for that purpose."

"That is a very humanlike thing to say," Sebastian commented.

"So it is. Seeing as we have a contract, you'll have to obey me no matter what." Her eyes traced the skyline as she looked out over the city that had brought her so much happiness and sorrow.

"I will humbly follow every order you give me, my lady. After all, I am one hell of a

butler."

"Has anyone ever told you that that is one hell of a cheesy line?" Arianna asked as she turned to him with a faint smile.

"I believe you are the first."

"Oh well. Come on, Sebastian, it's time to get moving. The day's a-wastin'. We have things to do," Arianna told him suddenly, pointing a finger at him. "It's about time that we began this game!" the sixteen year old proclaimed with a sly look in her eyes.

"As you wish," he answered with a slight bow as she brushed past him to go change. "You truly are a terrifying woman when you get serious about something. I think you might be more frightening than me."

"I'll thank you for the comment, but just this once." Her sudden change in attitude was nothing new. It was what Arianna did to keep herself from dwelling too much on unpleasant things otherwise she'd go insane.

"So begins the deadly game of cat and mouse."

"I'll make sure I'm the cat who obliterates the unsuspecting mouse," Arianna said from inside the bathroom.

"But the cat must be careful because the mouse isn't as weak as one might think. Our mouse is more like a sewer rat, crafty and clever," Sebastian added as he began to clean up the room as they prepared to head out.

"Yes, our opponent isn't someone to be taken lightly, but neither am I." The cold tiles felt smooth under her bare feet as she stripped down, the mark standing out against her pale skin. She touched it, remembering that is was also a mark on how much she was putting on the line to bring down the people who had put her through such hell.

"That you are. You will have a faithful knight by your side that will make sure that you will succeed."

"A knight. Now _that's _a funny thought. I'd never have thought that a demon would become my knight in shining armor," Arianna laughed as she slipped into her worn jeans and stripped sweater, feeling the familiar material against her skin. "Now, Sebastian, it's time to discuss our plans over breakfast."

"It's lunchtime now, miss," Sebastian corrected her as she stepped out of the bathroom.

He stood in a coat that covered his suit, waiting for her. In now black-gloved hands he held out her phone and laptop for her, her jacket hanging over her right arm.

"Whatever; food is food no matter what time of day you eat it at," she informed him, rolling her eyes as took her things from him. "But I digress. It's time to begin planning our coup." She slipped on her shoes quickly, eager to begin. She had been waiting months for the time when she could begin hunting down the ones who scorned her.

"Where will we be planning this?" he asked as he followed her out into the hallway, locking the door behind her.

"Someplace they'd never suspect."

"The usual place?" Sebastian asked knowingly.

"The usual place," she replied.

"We'll have until two o'clock to get most of the planning done," he warned her as he pressed the elevator buttons to take them to the lobby. As soon as the elevator arrived and the heavy metal doors slid open, Arianna was already giddy with excitement and fear.

"I know, but we'll get it done. After all, I must come up with the most fitting punishment to thank my mother and father for what they've done to me," she chuckled with a dangerous look in her eyes as the doors of the elevator shut and they descended.


	3. Chapter 3: Her Butler Faithful

**Well hello again. Sorry that it's been awhile since I've updated this (well, updated anything to be exact). I've been busy with school and other stuff so I haven't had much time to write. Point is that I've finished another chapter. I'll forewarn everyone that it might be awhile until I update this story again since I'm trying to update my other stories so that they don't feel abandoned. So, as always, please read, review, and enjoy.  
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><p><strong>Her Butler Faithful<strong>

A tingling sensation traveled across Arianna's skin as the black feathers blocked her vision, pulling her into darkness. She struggled to find the man, calling out to him. A wave of fear crashed over her as she desperately searched for sight of him.

"Where are you?" she cried, fearful that she would be left alone again. "Don't leave me!"

"I will not leave your side. I shall remain by you until our contract is fulfilled. And even in the deepest part of Hell I will be with you," the voice came much closer as her eyes landed on a tall man clad in a black butler outfit. His red eyes were glowing, standing out against his pale face.

Arianna's breath caught in her throat as she took in his appearance. Seeing a beautiful man claiming to be a demon, a being that preyed on human souls, it was the opposite of what she had been expecting. Combined with the shock and her weakened state, Arianna suddenly began to fall forward as if she were about to faint.

"I think you are the first person to faint upon seeing my appearance," the man mused as he caught her in sturdy arms as he crouched down in front of her. The coattails fluttered down behind him like tucked in wings.

"You'll...never leave me...?" Arianna asked, barely able to hear his last comment.

"I will never leave your side. No matter where you will go, I will always find you. This mark is proof of our contract that binds us together." The demon pointed to the glowing pentagram mark on her chest, revealed under the torn dress.

"You swear it?" she mumbled, gripping his arm as her head began to feel heavy and foggy.

"I swear it and, unlike humans, I never lie," he confirmed as Arianna slipped into the thick folds of unconsciousness. "I guess you couldn't handle the effects of making a contract." The man scooped up the limp girl in his arms and stood up. "Now, let us leave this disgusting place, my lady."

The last thing she heard was shouting and then a scream.

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><p>When Arianna regained consciousness to find herself in a white hospital bed, stuck full of IVs that pumped her full of liquids and nutrients. She lay like a doll, too weak to move and unable to speak as doctors and police moved around her, speaking to her in loud voices that she couldn't respond to. Everything was unfamiliar; a shock to her after having been locked away in her prison.<p>

For days she remained like that, being attended to by nurses and doctors as she regained her strength. Her body remained heavy, like it was tied to the bed, her eyes fixated on the ceiling as she listened to the sounds of nurses and doctors moving about overlapping with the beeping of the heart monitor she was plugged to. a thin nightshift was the only thing she wore over her starved body; her ribs and bones sticking out under her skin. Her body had been scrubbed and patched up with stiches and bandages, applied by some unknown hand.

The only thing that she recognized was her butler as he stood like a faithful watchdog, refusing to leave her side. She stared at him with heavy eyes, taking in his every feature as she was able to finally get a good look at him in the brightly lit room. When she had regained enough strength to lift her arm, Arianna wrote out, _What is your name? _

The demon replied, "I take the name that my master gives me. You may call me what you want and I will become that name."

Arianna took in what he said and wrote out again, _What were you named before you formed a contract with me?_

"Sebastian Michaelis," he replied.

Arianna turned her tired gaze on him and wrote, You seem attached to the name so I'll keep your name as Sebastian.

"I'm not attached to the name. But if you wish it then my name will be Sebastian," he told her.

She glanced over at him, her eyes heavy as the mask around her face pumped sterilized air into her lungs. It made her throat feel dry and sandpaper like. She hated just lying there. She wanted to get up and run, even though she wouldn't get very far in her condition. After having been locked away in a windowless room for what she had been told was a month, Arianna was desperate for the fresh air, to bask in the warm sunlight, to hear sounds other than the whirling of machines and her own breathing. Even the hospital room she was in was windowless white room, as if they were still bent on depriving her of the outside world.

But none of that was going to happen until she was well enough to be moved. She knew that she would remain in the hospital bed until she could at least walk on her own. Or until her parents came to get her.

Her parents...

In all this Arianna had scarcely thought about them. She had shut them away deep inside her mind, along with other important memories for fear that they would be taken away from her. Then, like a prized procession that had been kept away for a long time, she forced herself to recall the memories, pulling them out of hiding to find them fresh and new.

She passed the long hours of being restrained in the white room with shifting through her memories, avoiding the big mass that consisted of the memories of that man. It was dark and forbidding, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to touch them. She had suppressed the memories so that she couldn't remember them.

Something about them made her want to run away, too afraid to go near them.

She began to focus on her parents. It had been a week since she had been found and her parents had not rushed to be by her side. From what she had heard and seen on the news, her parents had been frantic and crushed, looking for her desperately. Their faces on the screen were twisted with anguish as tears streamed openly from their faces.

Arianna couldn't shake the feeling that her mother's tears looked fake, like those she had seen so many times in her mother's movies. Actress's tears, able to be brought forth at will.

Her father's face on the other hand, usually stolid and unmoving underneath his handsome features, never seemed to have any emotion other than arrogance and unmoving determination. It was surprising to see him on the verge of tears. It almost made him seem like a normal human rather than a multi-millionaire business tycoon.

"You seem rather perplexed about something," Sebastian said, reminding her that he was still by her side. He had remained silent until she tried talking to him, his eyes scanning everything with calculating curiosity.

_It's just that I've never seen them look like that._

"Well wouldn't any normal parent be worried about their daughter if she was kidnapped and was missing for a month?" Sebastian asked.

_I know, but if that's the case then why haven't they come to see me? I mean, their daughter has been found safe and sound and yet it's been a week since they've been told, _she wrote, stopping periodically when her hand began shaking from weakness. _Are they doing such important work that they can't rush to their daughter's side after not seeing her for a month? Maybe they're unsure whether it's actually me that's been found. The police haven't disclosed any information about me being found, at least, none that I've seen in the news and I haven't seen any press people yet. It's a fairly big incident; the daughter of a top company CEO and a famous actress being kidnapped. _

"I understand, but please try not to push yourself too much, my lady. I'm sure that for whatever reason your parents have for not coming to see you, it is a good one,"

Sebastian offered.

_I just have this weird feeling that just now hit me…_

"And what would that be?"

_I…don't really know…but whenever I try to think about my parents…and what happened…I get this weird feeling. I can't really explain it…_Arianna wrote with a confused look on her face. Sebastian's eyes scanned over her handwriting and stepped back with a pondering look in his face.

Then suddenly the doors were thrown open and rushing in came two very distressed looking adults followed by a swarm of press cameras that flashed and snapped. Sebastian's mouth hung open, cut off by the sudden interruption by the swarm of people that followed the two people coming towards Arianna's bed.

"Arianna! My precious daughter! I can't believe that you're safe!" the busty blonde, Michel Millé, cried as she wrapped her arms around Arianna, almost knocking her over. Arianna's widened with shock as her mother's tears hit her face. "I was so worried! My poor baby! What has happened to you?" Michel was referring to her daughter's gaunt body that still resembled a skeleton.

"I can't believe…that someone would do this to a child…" her father, Tyrone Millé, managed to say, on the verge of tears as he gazed down at his daughter with painful eyes.

Arianna was taken aback by the suffering in his eyes and her mother's tears. Over the sounds of her mother's crying and the flashing cameras, Arianna wondered about the weird feeling she got when she thought about her parents and her kidnapping and questioned why she had ever thought that way in the first place. It seemed as if her parents were truly worried about her.

"Dear, will you get them out of here?" Michel begged to her husband, referring to the paparazzi that swarmed around them like vultures.

"Please…leave…" Tyrone said, but that did nothing to deter them. "Get out now!" he boomed, making them jump as the man turn on them with a glare that could strike them dead. That got them moving, too afraid of the man with the steel aura to stick around.

When they had all left the man's menacing aura vanished, leaving him drained looking as he turned back to his daughter. He opened his mouth to say something, but then suddenly spotted Sebastian out of the corner of his eye. Arianna's parents both turned to the black-clad butler, their faces awash with confusion. In an instant, the confusion turned to anger.

"Who are you? What are you still doing here? I thought I told everyone to leave!" her father shouted at him, but Sebastian stood their without moving. "Well, are you deaf or what? I told you to leave!" Tyrone's glare bore into Sebastian, but he met the glare with unflinching red eyes.

"I am only following my lady's orders and I have not been told to leave," Sebastian replied calmly.

"What did you say? How dare you! Who are you? I demand to know this instance? What are you dressed as? Some sort of butler or something?" Michele cried, leaping to her feet, her face distorted with anger.

"I am Sebastian Michaelis, a butler to Arianna Millé," Sebastian said, but his words did nothing to appease her parents.

"Butler? You must be joking! We didn't hire you! Where did you come from?" the mother went on frantically, taking a menacing step towards him.

"My lady Arianna wanted my services."

"What a joke! Who are you?" she demanded again. "Where's security? I want this man removed at once!" Her frantic voice echoed around the hospital room as Tyrone tried to calm his wife down. He kept shooting Sebastian suspicious looks as the butler stood there quietly, waiting for Arianna to give him an order.

"Well whoever you are, you need to leave. You're causing my family distress," Tyrone told him icily as he put his hands around his wife's arms.

"I cannot leave unless my master orders me to," Sebastian told them flatly.

"Don't give me that crap! Do you know who I am? I can have you fired in a heartbeat so leave now!" Now it was Tyrone's turn to get enraged. His face grew hard as his jaw tightened and his posture straightened. He was defiantly angry now and wasn't going to tolerate not having his orders obeyed.

"I'm sorry, but I only obey orders from my master, sir," Sebastian stated again unflinching.

With that, Tyrone snapped and lunged for Sebastian, grabbing him by the collar. A mighty shove pinned Sebastian to the wall, but still Sebastian didn't flinch. "Screw your orders! I'm telling you to leave! I'm going to have you sent to prison for this!"

Arianna, who had been watching the whole confrontation and unable to speak out or much less move her body, summoned what strength she could to try and pull herself up. Her limbs gave out under her, feeling like tubes of rubber that couldn't support what little weight her emancipated body had. An overwhelming feeling of uselessness and helplessness washed over her, making her throat tighten. She watched helplessly as her father continued to yell at Sebastian with his face flushed red. The line on the monitor jump frantically as her anxiety grew.

"Stop!" Arianna cried in a voice that sounded like sandpaper on a chalkboard. It was weak, but it seemed to bring the room to silence. Tyrone and Michelle turned to her with wide eyes, surprised to hear any sound coming from their daughter. "Don't…Sebastian…" Arianna tried to get out a complete sentence but only managed a few strangled words, "Saved…Please…" Slowly her words sunk in and Tyrone released Sebastian.

"You mean to say…that this man," he looked at Sebastian in disbelief, "was the one who saved you from the person who kidnapped you?" Arianna nodded and her parents straightened themselves, as if their minds had been changed, if only slightly.

"Well, if Arianna trusts this man then…I'll tolerate him…" Michele sniffed with distain as she looked over Sebastian with flickering eyes. Arianna fell back in the bed, exhausted as her head rolled limply against the pillows.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Sebastian asked her, brushing past Tyrone and Michele to be by Arianna's bedside.

_I'm fine…_She wrote slowly, her hand trembling with the strain of holding the pen.

* * *

><p>After their first meeting, Arianna's parents were frequently in and out of her hospital room, followed by paparazzi and police as they also came and went. Arianna was bombarded with the pressing tones of the investigators as they tried to wring out any information they could from her about what had happened while the press grabbed at the handouts that leaked through, scribbling them down in their notepads. Doctors and nurses flocked to her side, sticking her with needles that injected her medicines that made her stomach weak and drew blood that made her dizzy to look at.<p>

Her parents, when they weren't in the room, disappeared into some other room in the hospital to get some privacy and talk to the doctors about their daughter. Arianna couldn't help but see the pitying glances she got and the sympathetic words that did nothing to help her. She lay in her hospital bed, blocking out the sounds as questions were given to her one after the other. She didn't want to try and remember what had happened to her; it was the thing that haunted her and made her twist in her sleep.

Sebastian was the only one she wanted by her side; the only one she could talk to. He remained, as always, like a shadow. People moved around him, moving past him like water rushing past a rock in a stream. He was her confide, always listening and not pushing for answers.

Despite the gifts and cards of people who she had never met sending their condolences, Arianna still felt like something was off. When her father had last been in the room, she had caught a glimpse of the app that showed Tyrone's companies' stocks; they had gone up more than usual.

She couldn't help but think that the word had gotten out that his poor daughter had been found after a long month after a horrible kidnapping and people had bought his stocks out of sympathy.

After about two weeks with still not much information from Arianna, she was finally approached by what had been therapist number five with the standard team of doctors and police agents.

"Now, Arianna, I know this whole ordeal has been hard on you," the balding man with a face like sagging cardboard said in the standard, slightly patronizing voice that sounded like he was talking to a small child and not a teenage girl, "but could you please try to remember what happened to you."

It had been the same thing over and over; they kept pressing her to remember what had happened. Arianna didn't want to remember. She had buried the memories so deep that it would be strenuous to dig them back up. It was like the corpse that should just be kept buried.

"Please, Arianna, we can't help you unless you tell us what happened," her mother added, trying to be comforting.

"But if you don't feel like talking today, you don't have to," her father said, wearing an odd look on his face. Arianna saw it, but no one else seemed to notice. Maybe it was the lighting or her imagination.

Her eyes shifted over to Sebastian, looking for a sign for what she should do. He met her gave and nodded to her, silently saying, "If you do not want to speak, I will speak in your place."

With a heavy sigh, Arianna wrote out the words _I'll try. _Immediately, the detectives in the room leaned forward intently, waiting and watching for Arianna to begin writing down what she could recall. Their intense stares made it hard for Arianna to breathe; she had to close her eyes to block them out in order to concentrate.

Slowly, she began to rewind her thoughts back to the night she met Sebastian. Once that memory became clear to her, she began diving back further into her thoughts to try and uncover the memories she needed. Her hand began to write down the things, though she left out the part about forming the contract with Sebastian. As soon as she unlocked the memories, they came pouring out like water from a broken dam, overtaking her mind before she had time to mentally prepare herself for the reoccurrence of that awful month.

Suddenly her body began to tremble as her eyes widened as the fear that had been suppressed broke free. Like a wildfire, the fear quickly coursed through her body, taking over everything. Arianna tried to stop the memories from spilling out, but they just kept coming and coming, flooding her mind with the dark horrors of the man and her prison. Her hand shook so much that the pad and pen slipped from her fingers, falling to the floor with a clatter. Her heart began to pound, causing the line on the monitor to jump furiously as her fear kicked up her adrenaline.

Someone was shouting her name, telling her to calm down, but the blood roaring in her ears prevented the sounds from reaching her. She could see it all clearly now; the man, the prison, the feeling of being trapped and used. Her lungs began to seize as she forgot how to breathe. Now the monitor was beeping loudly as her blood pressure began to reach dangerous levels.

Her mind suddenly snapped to a moment that she had never encountered before her kidnapping. It was the very moment before she had lost consciousness after being taken from her room on the night of the kidnapping. Just as she had passed out she remembered seeing someone in the hallway, watching from outside the room as she slipped into unconsciousness. The man was familiar, but Arianna couldn't clearly remember him.

The image was fading from her mind as shouts flew up around her and hands we pressed against her shoulders, trying to hold her steady, when it suddenly reappeared and slapped her in the face. She could see the face now, clear as day, and she turned her eyes to land on her father. Sweat began to seep from her pores as she saw the look on his face.

The faces matched; it had been her father standing in the hallway the night of her kidnapping. He had stood there, watching with an expressionless face as his daughter had been taken away. He had watched and done nothing to save her when he could have prevented it all from happening, but instead he did nothing.

As soon as she realized this, Arianna let out a guttural scream, an agonized scream. The realization of having been betrayed ripped her apart. She thrashed around in the hospital bed, screaming at the top of her lungs. Her parents withdrew in shock as nurses and doctors rushed to restrain her before she hurt herself and those around her.

Sebastian watched her with shocked eyes as he tried to get near her to calm her down. Arianna saw the look on his face as her head rolled back by her thrashing body. "It was…! My father!" Arianna screamed frantically over the shouts, desperate for someone to hear her. "My father…watched me be taken! It's his fault!" Her throat was raw from screaming as she fought against the restraining hands. She briefly saw the look on her parents' faces, especially her father's and that confirmed what she had seen.

That was the last thing she saw as a needle was driven into her arm and her mind was overtaken with a heavy fog.

* * *

><p>When she awoke, she found herself restrain to the bed. Her body was sore and bruised from struggling so much. Police were standing by, watching her condition as doctors pumped sedatives into her to prevent another panic attack. Sebastian still stood by her side, wearing a solemn look on his face. Her eyes asked him what had happened; her throat to raw to speak.<p>

"They have deemed your outburst as a mental breakdown. The doctors have called it post traumatic syndrome," he told her, his voice sounding far away in her sedated state. Arianna could barely understand what he was saying. Her one thought was: _I bet the press is having a heyday with this. "CEO's daughter has mental break down, accuses him of her kidnapping."_

"What will…happen to me now…?" she slurred, her lips heavy, her voice gravely.

"I overheard your parents arguing with the doctors to put you in an asylum of some sorts until you're mental state improves."

"They…think…I've gone crazy…?" Arianna said, already knowing the answer.

"It seems that way." His face grew grim as he got on his knees in an apologetic bow. "I am most sorry for not preventing all this."

"It isn't…your fault…" Her head rolled against the pillow as she watched him. "I…lost control…If you…had tried…to stop them…it would have caused a greater uproar…" Talking made her extremely tried as the sedatives tried to bring her into unconsciousness.

"I will not let this happen again," Sebastian assured her.

"Sebastian…" she whispered.

"Yes, my lady?" Sebastian was on his feet, leaning in close to her as she felt her senses dull.

"I…I don't want to be…put away…" Arianna's eyes began to sting as tears began to fall from their blue depths. "I don't want…them to lock me up…again!" She sucked in gulps of air as the sobbing racked her body. "Please, don't let them…put me away."

"I swear I will not let them lock you away," he told her.

"I'm afraid…the memories…! I don't want…to see them…! Why? Why was…it him?" The line on the heart monitor jumped suddenly as she fought the medicine. A beeping sound went off, sending a thicker flow of medicine into her veins in an attempt to calm her down.

"I swear by the contract that binds us together, I will protect you from all that brings you grief and I will cut down all that you order me to," Sebastian said brushing the tears from her face with a white-gloved finger as her eyelids closed. "I will exact your revenge as you wish it, my master."

"Sebast…ian…" Arianna mumbled as she slipped into a drugged slumber.


	4. Chapter 4: Her Butler Assisting

**Finally got another chapter it. It seems like I can't write chapters as fast as I used to. Too many other stories to write, Pokemon games to play, and so on and so forth with the list of excuses. All that matters is that there's a chapter here now. I don't own Black Butler (as always). Please read, review, and enjoy.  
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* * *

><p><strong>Her Butler Assisting <strong>

The elevator came to halt on the first floor of the hotel and heavy metal doors sliding out to expose the vast lobby. Arianna stepped out of the elevator with Sebastian shadowing her. Heads turned, landing instantly on the man in black. Sebastian's red eyes scanned the lobby with little interest, only seeking out anything that might harm his master or that might be a threat.

"No need to be so tense, Sebastian," Arianna said as she passed through the revolving door. "If you stay tense all the time your muscles will get sore."

"I'm a demon. My muscles don't get sore," he replied casually, moving silently after her.

"Are all demons immune to humor?" she asked, squinting against the sunlight. Sebastian handed her a pair of sunglasses and Arianna thanked him as she accepted them.

"I do have a sense of humor but I believe what is funny has changed in the last two hundred years or so. I could show you the humor from when I was last serving as a butler," Sebastian told her.

"That probably isn't a good idea. I won't be able to understand the humor. And don't try any demon humor either...Though I wonder what sort of funny jokes demons tell each other in hell. Doubt it's anything funny," she said looking down the street. "Now where is he? He said he was supposed to be here." Her mouth turned downwards into a frown, her hand placed on her hip.

"I volunteered to drive, Miss," Sebastian offered over the roar of cars whistling by.

"Probably not a good idea either. Your last job was back before there were any cars. How do I know if you can drive?" she questioned in a speculating tone.

"I'm capable of learning to drive one of these…automobiles if you wish it," he said.

"I'll keep that in mind, but Jacques is my designated chauffeur. For this job I trust him completely," she replied, fixing the strap of her laptop back.

"Not much of a trustworthy person if he can't be trusted to show up on time," Sebastian said as people moved about them. Some flashed intrigued looks at his appearance, but kept moving to avoid disturbing the flow of human traffic. His pale perfect features stood above all the rest, his height making him stand taller than most so everyone could see him.

"True but that's normal for him. Maybe it's because he's French, but I doubt that has anything to do with him being late all the time. Chasing girls no doubt."

"The French do seem to have a pretty laid back sense of time," Sebastian agreed. His eyes went to a black car as it pulled up to the curb. Arianna rolled her eyes and huffed, tapping her foot impatiently on the ground.

"_Finally_! He shows up," she muttered.

"Will this put us behind schedule?" the demon asked her as a blonde haired man stepped out of the car to greet them.

"Nope, I was planning on this. Besides, plans schmans. Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow, Sebastian," she waved her hand causally, eying the blonde man as he flashed her a smile. The young man of twenty-six kept smiling broadly even under Arianna's glare. "Were you planning on arriving before I grew old, Jacques?" she asked him.

"_Désolé_. Sorry," Jacques apologized. "I just wandered off the path of life for a bit and lost track of time." His smile broadened, concealing his blue eyes.

"Sure you did. Now let's get moving," she said and Sebastian opened the door for her.

"As you wish, your majesty," Jacques replied obediently, pressing himself against the driver door as cars whizzed by along the street. "Hello, Sebastian." He waved to the butler in black.

"Hello, Jacques," Sebastian answered with a curt nod.

"How are you handling the little lady?" he asked.

"I am 'handling' her as a butler should; serving to her every need," Sebastian replied and climbed in next to Arianna.

"Still such a polite guy. I don't think you have any humor, Sebastian," Jacques sighed and climbed into the driver's seat. "So where are we off too, Anna?" The roar of the city was muffled inside the car.

"The usual place," she replied, leaning her had against her hand as she propped her elbow up on the window.

"You got it," Jacques said, buckling himself in and maneuvering the car out into the street. The tires floated along the asphalt, cruising gracefully through the hectic New York Metropolis.

"You remember the plan?" Arianna asked Sebastian.

"By the plan, do you mean the one you'll tell me?" Sebastian questioned, turning his head slightly to look at his master.

"I forgot to tell you?" She sounded surprised.

"I'm not a mind reader, Miss," he said.

"Darn I thought it was one of your many skills. Oh well, I guess I could be thankful that you aren't one."

"What is the plan then?"

"The Plan-capital P-is that we get coffee first and then we talk about the plan," she said with a smile.

"I could have just made coffee for you at the room," he muttered gloomily.

"But that's not part of the plan."

"And I would know so much about what was part of this plan of yours."

"Are you complaining?" she asked him.

"Not at all. What butler would I be if I complained about my master's orders, no matter how infuriating they are?" Sebastian's face spread into a smile—one that was impossible to find the meaning behind it. Arianna's forehead creased in confusion. She hated that smile of his because it usually came after he said something that made her believe that he was angry.

"Are you trying to imply something?" she questioned, scowling at his smiling face.

"Not at all, Miss." It was probably her imagination but Arianna thought she detected an icy note in his voice.

"Well…when you use that tone and smile like that it's hard to believe you," Arianna said, arms crossed over her chest.

"My apologizes," he replied, still smiling.

"Ah, you two sound like a married couple," Jacques mused, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Just keep driving," Arianna snapped at him, kicking his seat from behind. He lurched forward a bit, but the car kept driving as if nothing happened.

"As you wish, _princesse_," Jacques said with a smile.

"How vulgar to think a butler and his master would have a relationship other than a servant-master one," Sebastian said with distaste in his voice.

"So old fashioned. Don't you watch movies? The butler ends up falling for the master's wife or something like that. They're pretty interesting," Jacques told him.

"How disgusting that a butler would forget his position like that. I will never become like one of those butlers," Sebastian went on.

"What are you trying to say, Sebastian?" Arianna challenged. "You mean you won't ever fall in love with me? Are you saying that I'm not pretty enough?"

"I'm not saying that at all, Miss…" Sebastian began, sensing one of his master's more unpleasant moods arising.

"Then what are you trying to say?" Arianna sized him up with an icy glare.

Sebastian let out a heavy sigh, choosing his words with great care. "It's not a matter of whether you are beautiful or not, it's the fact that it is absolutely forbidden for a butler to have some sort of intimate relationship with their master."

"But you're supposed to follow your master's every command, aren't you?" she questioned.

"…Yes…I obey every command," Sebastian replied reluctantly.

"So if I commanded you to love me then you would?" There was an unflinching look in her eyes as she met Sebastian's gaze.

"I'm a demon. I'm incapable of love. But if you commanded me to love you then I'd have no choice to obey," he told her. "Are you commanding me to love you?"

"No, I am not," she replied with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was just seeing what you'd say. You can stick to your 'values' as a butler."

Sebastian let out a silent sigh, trying very hard to suppress any thoughts about strangling Arianna. It was very tempting each time she got in these weird moods where she'd intentionally provoke him, but their contract kept him from causing her harm. _Why are humans so infuriating? _he thought staring blankly at Arianna as she turned back to the window. _This one is almost as infuriating as the last one._

"Way to stand up to the princess, Sebastian. Not many people can handle her personality but you handle it like you've been doing it for centuries," Jacques mused again.

"Thank you for the complement; as a butler of the Millié family this is a simple feat."

"You're _my _butler, Sebastian. Why do you keep forgetting that?" Arianna reprimanded him harshly, her face darkening for a moment.

"My apologizes, my lady. As _your_ butler being able to deal with your changing personality is no trouble for me," Sebastian told her, his smile once again appearing on his face.

"Why is it that I sense a condescending tone?"

"Must be your imagination, Miss. Perhaps you need some soothing tea; you've been stressed lately."

"Stressed…I think I'm more than stressed," Arianna said with a smile. It wasn't a humorous smile or even a cynical one; that smile was more of a forced one. The weird habits people had when they got nervous, such as avoiding eye contact or stuttering, this smile was like that. "I think I'm beyond stressed. Beyond stressed I think. Yeah, overwhelmed, maybe?"

"I think you're rambling again," Jacques warned as he pulled the car into a parking spot.

"Ah, sorry, guess I am…" The smile drifted from her face as she looked over at Sebastian. "I guess it's time to begin with the plan."

"As you wish, Miss," he replied.

"I guess you'll let me know when you need to be picked up?" Jacques said as he leaned on the steering wheel.

"Aren't you a sharp one?" Arianna scooted to Sebastian's side of the car as her butler climbed out of the car.

"That's rather ungraceful when you try to get out of the car like that, Miss," Sebastian sighed as Arianna clambered out of the car, refusing to take his hand that was held out to steady her.

"So sue me," she grumbled and inhaled the air. "Alright, Sebastian! Time to begin phase one of the Plan!"

"If you say so, Miss," he answered and shut the door behind her, "I just wish I knew what the plan was…"

"…Authorities discovered today that Eli Smith was found dead in his cell today. He was convicted of the abduction and rape of Arianna Millié, the daughter of millionaire Tyrone Millié. He was serving a life sentence when he suffered from a sudden heart attack…"

Arianna almost choked on her croissant, coughing painfully to remove the blocked food from her throat. She hadn't been listening to the news on the TV playing in the background in the coffee shop, but at the mention of that man's name she was suddenly alert to every word they were saying.

"Are you ok, Miss?" Sebastian asked, moving quickly to her side with concern.

"If almost choking is ok…" she breathed, gasping for air.

Her eyes snapped to the TV and she recoiled in horror as she took in the picture of the man who's face plague her nightmares. An icy feeling began to spread through her, grabbing hold of her lungs and turning her blood to ice. Breathing became impossible as Eli's face consumed her thoughts, dragging painful memories to the surface. Her brain lost connection with her limbs and they began to tremble uncontrollably. Breads of sweat collected on her forehead and Arianna felt a scream forming in her throat.

"Calm down, Miss!" Sebastian instructed sharply and clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling her scream. Luckily no one noticed her breakdown; the café was filled with people from the lunch crowd and everyone was in a hurry. "You need to breath slowly. That man is dead now; he can't hurt you anymore." Sebastian kept his voice calm and steady, keeping a strong hand on her back to keep her from falling out of her seat.

"How can he…be dead…?" she gasped quietly, staring at the floor in disbelief. "A heart attack…? That can't be! It's too convenient! You made sure to check his medical records as soon as he was arrested and there were no signs of him having high blood pressure or high cholesterol…so how could that man die of a heart attack?"

"He was an alcoholic and did drugs as well…It's possible that the effects of having those things combined for years—"

"No!" she hissed, balling her hands into fists. "It's too convenient for him to just die like that. I was going to be the one to make him suffer; not him dying of a heart attack!"

"Do you think someone killed him intentionally and made it look like a heart attack?" Sebastian questioned and helped her sit back up. Arianna kept her eyes away from the TV, too fearful to look at Eli's picture again.

"That's exactly what I'm saying! Someone killed him off incase he spilled on who hired him. And I have a feeling my father knows exactly who was responsible for this…" Arianna's face darkened and her blue eyes turned steely. "Whoever did this is going to pay. No one takes away the objects of my vendetta!" With coffee forgotten, Arianna straightened her back and set her eyes forward. There was no time to waste now; she needed to take action. Her enemy had made the first most and the next step was to counter it. "Sebastian, hand me the laptop. It's time to begin the Plan."

She held out a hand to him, all traces of her trembling vanished with her hardened resolve. "Very well, Miss," the butler replied and slid back into the seat across from her. He pulled out the thin silver laptop and placed it in his master's small, but firm hand.


End file.
